Tuesday 13th May, eight young people from our Youth Voice Group were invited to participate in a rally to speak directly with MPs and campaign for a Youth Homeless Chapter in the government’s upcoming Ending Homelessness strategy.
One year ago to the day, eight of our young clients traveled up to London to to visit both the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Housing and Homelessness) and the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven. This invitation followed the first parliamentary committee debate of youth homelessness for 40 years on Wednesday 1st May, 2024.
This Youth Homeless Chapter could help to prevent youth homelessness before it happens, provide housing and support for young people at risk, and help young people work and live independently.
We accompanied these eight young people up to Parliament Square, joining them for the rally and amplifying their voices. The day began by joining both clients and staff from various youth homelessness charities, which included Centrepoint, New Horizon Youth Centre (NHYC), and more. Following an opportunity to get acquainted with the rally’s attendees and create placards, speeches were made by Phil Kerry, CEO of NHYC, and Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, who also shared this statement on the issue:
“Youth homelessness is not a youth problem. This is a society problem. So a big shout-out to my colleagues to ensure that they understand the barriers that are facing our young people in this sector, and ensure that they get behind this and give their full support.”
The rallying and chanting began on Parliament Square, attracting attention, visits from, and conversations with various MPs, campaigning for a Youth Homeless Chapter in the government’s upcoming Ending Homelessness strategy.
Here’s what one of our young people shared about their experience.
“I think that rallies like these are very important; as a homeless young person, it’s such a struggle and you don’t get that much support. Getting yourself heard by the government is so difficult, it’s such a long process, and it can feel really degrading as well. So I think it’s really important to rally and have our voices heard today as actual people experiencing youth homelessness, and hopefully getting the government to listen to us and what we need.
“But I feel like today felt slightly performative in how the MPs engaged with us – using young people as props, taking a quick photo but then not joining in with the rallying or chanting. It’s important that MPs come to events like these and show their solidarity, and show us that they care, genuinely care. Because it’s great that they’re working towards ending youth homelessness, but when you’re surrounded by young people with that lived experience and are currently going through it, maybe have a little more compassion, a little more humanity.
“We deserve and need to be shown more solidarity and support.”
We’re endlessly grateful and proud to provide support, services, and a safe space for young people who are homeless in Brighton & Hove, and we will continue to amplify their voices as loudly and frequently as possible. We look forward to bringing you updates on this story and many others from our day centre, and the best place for regular updates is in our monthly newsletter. Click here to sign up to our newsletter today 💙